We've already seen some pretty interesting uses of AI image tools. Now OpenAI's tech is being used to show more outside the frame of classic paintings. 

This new feature of DALLE-E is known as "outpainting" and allows users to take an original image and then get the artificial intelligence to expand the borders of the work. Here DALL-E adds extra visual elements to the painting, taking the original style and expanding the borders. 

Interesting examples of outpainting in action seem to show believable surroundings to well-known portrait paintings and more. We've collected some of them for your enjoyment. 

Girl with a Pearl Earring

DALL-E is now being used to show more of famous paintings photo 2
Johannes Vermeer/August Kamp

Here the outpainting feature has been used to transform Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring into an image with a much wider canvas.

Here the outpainting feature has been used to transform Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring into an image with a much wider canvas. The expanded view shows much more of her surroundings. 

At a glance it's all perfectly believable too and wonderfully suits the original style of the painting. 

DALLE-E outpainting in action

If you haven't got access to DALL-E yet, you can still see the outpainting mode in action and get a glimpse of how it works. The tool gives the ability to change elements of the painting as the canvas is expanded, so different works can be created with the same image. 

A Friend in Need

Dogs playing poker is a wonderful series of paintings showing man's best friend engaging in classic human past times. But if you've ever wondered what lay beyond the frame of the original canvas then DALL-E might have the answer. 

Here M.G. Siegler, General Partner of Google Ventures has used DALL-E to outpaint the classic 1903 painting "A Friend in Need" by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge. The full view of the room just shows more pups having fun times. We'd imagine in the back of an old-fashioned speakeasy. 

DALL-E is now being used to show more of famous paintings photo 4
lu9_st/OpenAI

The outpainting feature can be used on all sorts of things it seems and isn't just for expanding the sides of a landscape painting.

The outpainting feature can be used on all sorts of things it seems and isn't just for expanding the sides of a landscape image but can show more of what's above and below too. 

Here we're seeming more of the surroundings of the Paramount Pictures logo. Is this what it would really look like? Feels like a dreamy vision of soft clouds and a beautiful sunset. 

Starry Night

DALL-E is now being used to show more of famous paintings photo 5
Zanga67777/OpenAI

Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night takes on a whole new aesthetic when run through DALL-E.

Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night takes on a whole new aesthetic when run through DALL-E. It was already fairly quirky but now features a dinosaur, spaceship and what looks like a building floating in the sky. 

Combining paintings

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kris008/OpenAI

As well as expanding the borders of paintings, this feature of DALL-E can also be used to combine images too.

As well as expanding the borders of paintings, this feature of DALL-E can also be used to combine images too.

The artificial intelligence works some magic to put the images together in a convincing way. Here Batman and Captain American are seriously conversing on a rooftop. 

DALL-E is now being used to show more of famous paintings photo 7
dardan_aeneas/OpenAI

This time it looks like Quaker Oats has had a rebranding and an eye-opening one at that. 

A fresh take on another company logo crafted using the outpainting functionality. 

This time it looks like Quaker Oats has had a rebranding and an eye-opening one at that. 

Kid's road map

DALL-E is now being used to show more of famous paintings photo 8
WelchRedneck/OpenAI

Ever have one of these as a kid and wonder what it would be like if it was even bigger?

Ever have one of these as a kid and wonder what it would be like if it was even bigger? DALL-E made light work of what already looked like an abstract painting and produced more roads to travel. 

Abbey Road

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spetznatz/OpenAI

If the focus of the original image hadn't been so tight on the band members what would we have seen?

The Beatles' Abbey Road album cover might be one of the most well-known and recognisable album artworks of all time. 

If the focus of the original image hadn't been so tight on the band members what would we have seen?

Napoleon Crossing the Alps

DALL-E is now being used to show more of famous paintings photo 10
AIdenNFTSx/OpenAI

This portrait of Napolean has been expanded to show more of what's going on. You'd be perfectly forgiven for assuming this was the original artwork too. 

At the start of the 1800s, French artist Jacques-Louis David painted some images of Napoleon Bonaparte crossing the Alps.

Now the tightly framed portrait has been expanded to show more of what's going on in the background. You'd be perfectly forgiven for assuming this was the original artwork too. 

An apocalyptic Mona Lisa

DALL-E is now being used to show more of famous paintings photo 11
tonidl1989/OpenAI

We've never really thought about what Leonardo da Vinci might have painted beyond the confines of the portrait panel. Could it be this?

We've seen a fair few interesting takes on Mona Lisa. Including using AI to give her a broader smile and seeing her re-imagined as a modern-day influencer. We've never really thought about what Leonardo da Vinci might have painted beyond the confines of the portrait panel though. 

What an interesting world it might be now if he'd seen these sights back in the early 1500s. 

Tiananmen Square Tank Man

DALL-E is now being used to show more of famous paintings photo 12
ximeleta/OpenAI

Here's one of the most iconic images of all time given the outpainting treatment. The tanks in the background are a little off, but it's still believable.

Here's one of the most iconic images of all time given the outpainting treatment. The original image is usually shown with a crop focussing on the unknown protestor stopping the column of 59 tanks. 

Now you can see a wider view and one that's quite different from the original larger shots of the area. Yet believable and interesting. 

The Creation of Elephant

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ye-ren/OpenAI

Michelangelo's original painting that famously adorns the Sistine Chapel's ceiling now shows quite a different view.

Michelangelo's original painting that famously adorns the Sistine Chapel's ceiling originally showed a depiction of God and Adam. A representation of the creation of man, but God made elephants too. So perhaps this outpainting could be an alternative. 

Distracted boyfriend

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Swigor/OpenAI

Here one of the most famous memes of current times has been expanded to show a chaotic street surrounding the distracted boyfriend and the others. 

We've already seen that outpainting isn't just for paintings. It also works with real photos, logos and more. 

Here one of the most famous memes of current times has been expanded to show a chaotic street surrounding the distracted boyfriend and the others. 

This time it seems that the user has given the AI a bit more creative freedom and it's certainly not the most convincing image we've seen, but it is hilarious. 

The Persistence of Memory expanded

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Chua Chin Hon/OpenAI

One of the most recognisable of Salvador Dalí's works is now even more intrigue with mysterious women and even more clocks. 

Salvador Dalí's The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognisable of his works. DALL-E's outpainting of the edges adds even more intrigue with mysterious women and even more clocks. 

American Gothic

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Bogdan/OpenAI

We've seen some interesting edits and reimaginings of American Gothic over the years, but this one is certainly a surreal vision of the classic painting. 

We've seen some interesting edits and reimaginings of American Gothic over the years, but this one is certainly a surreal vision of the classic painting. 

Disaster Girl

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Ramsri Goutham Golla/OpenAI

Now we can see more of what's happened in the surroundings as "Disaster Girl" is pictured smirking at the burning house. 

Another meme given the outpainting treatment. Now we can see more of what's happened in the surroundings as "Disaster Girl" is pictured smirking at the burning house.